They made it back to the dojo safely, which wasn't a surprise considering that Kenshin looked like he could've slain the next person to so much as speak to Kaoru. His grip on her had eased the closer they got home.

Something on the porch gave her reason to pause, she almost couldn't believe her eyes and would've laughed had she not feared Kenshin's sour mood. Sanosuke's head was being embraced by one of the girls while the other was staring intently at his back. The girls smiled when they saw them coming. Kaoru couldn't see Kenshin's face but she was certain that he was putting on a much more pleasant face for them. Suzume and Ayame came rushing forward and hugged at each of Kenshin's knees. Sanosuke sighed in relief, Koaru had no doubt that he wasn't at all pleased at being assigned their guardian. Not that Sanosuke didn't like them but he wasn't at all good with children. He had problems getting along with even Yahiko.

"Uncle Ken, Sano-san wouldn't let us put bows in his hair," Ayame complained.

Sanosuke stood up.

"You're ratting me out now? That's the thanks I get for watching you two?"

"Now now. We don't want to make Sano do anything he's uncomfortable with," Kenshin reasoned calmly.

"But his hair is so pretty. It needs bows."

Sanosuke looked away so the other two adults couldn't see his expression. Kaoru was smiling by now, quite forgetting about Kenshin's anger.

"I agree that he has nice hair. Could you two excuse Miss Kaoru and I for a second? We need to talk about dinner tonight."

Kaoru refrained from gulping when she felt the hand on her wrist tighten once more. Sanosuke frowned when he sensed something wrong but smartly remained quiet. Kaoru allowed Kenshin to take her inside where they could talk in private.

Kenshin turned around to stare face to face with her. His eyes were narrow once more but thankfully purple. At least he wasn't completely Battousai.

"Look...Kenshin. I..." Kaoru trailed off because she had no idea what to say next.

"I was very frightened, Miss Kaoru, that I was. You knew what that man's intentions were, I'm sure. And he wouldn't have risked letting you live long enough to report him to the police. I cannot believe I allowed such a thing to happen."

"I'll take a weapon with me next time," Kaoru negotiated.

Her heart sank when Kenshin's scowl deepened. Apparently that wasn't what he wanted to hear from her.

"There will not be a next time."

"...Excuse me?"

Kaoru was starting to get upset now. How dare Kenshin try to control her life like that as if she were eight and he was her father! He had no right to order her around like that.

She matched his glare with her own. He was not deterred in the slightest. When Kaoru realized she was going to lose the staring contest, she tried another tactic: reasoning with him.

"Kenshin, I'm sorry to have caused you to worry but that's going too far. What do you even mean by that statement? That I'm not allowed outside ever again?"

"Of course not," Kenshin argued with the same glare intact, "I simply mean that you will not go out by yourself. Surely you would agree that that's reasonable?"

Kaoru so wanted to argue but part of her saw this protective side of Kenshin almost sweet. Maybe she could humor him a little? At least until he was over this shock he was going through and realized how stupid this was? It sounded like an okay plan since Kaoru figured that he would be back to normal in one or two days time.

She lowered her shoulders and looked down in polite submission.

"Very well. If it will make you feel better."

"Miss Kaoru," the tone was so gentle now that it made her look back up. Kenshin's eyes were no longer narrow but round and shining. "Please do not think I'm trying to take away your independence or make you unhappy. I'm just worried, you all are my family, that you are. And you-"

He trailed off, Kaoru listened intently with a fast beating heart. She...what? What was he going to say?

Before the samurai could continue, the door slid open. Sanosuke and Yahiko were both looking irritable.

"I'm hungry. What happened to dinner?" Sanosuke complained.

"Yeah. I'm starving. And I don't see any tofu. What'd you waste all that time for, ugly?"

Kaoru gave Yahiko her usual glare. It would be fine, she reassured herself. Everything was back to normal, nothing had changed.

Kenshin decided to help her. Kaoru allowed it only when he agreed to let her cook the main course. It would be hard without tofu but she decided to put a few slices of cucumbers into the stew. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Kenshin staring at her intently while she chopped the vegetables but she couldn't figure out what he found so fascinating about it.

Finally, dinner was served. Megumi poured sake for Sanosuke and Kaoru made sure that the alcohol was far away from Yahiko.

Kaoru was happy to see them eat the stew, even if most of them made faces. Kenshin seemed surprisingly hungry because he ate most of the stew. Kaoru tried not to feel too flattered.

Sanosuke whispered something to Kenshin while glancing at Kaoru. Kenshin shook his head at whatever he said. Kaoru wanted to demand to know what they were talking about but refrained. She felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Is something the matter?" Megumi asked in a rarely heard concern voice.

"Kenshin got upset with me today," Kaoru really felt the need to get it off her chest. She told the whole story and of her plan to humor Kenshin for a while. Megumi frowned at this.

"I hope you're right."

"Sure, I am. I'll just do what he wants until he calms down. What could possibly go wrong?" Kaoru demanded.

"Well. Doing that might only encourage him."

"He's Kenshin, Megumi. We all know him."

Megumi stared across the room at Kenshin.

"What about the Battousai? How well do we know him?"

Kaoru stayed silent.